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Insights to Impact

We are excited to announce our support for 71 local organizations through our Invest in Youth initiative this year. This brings our total annual funding for youth-focused nonprofit programs to $2.8 million—an increase of $250,000 over last year’s grantmaking.

As a Brooklyn Youth Fellow, I got to see one side of grantmaking by helping in the process of creating, reviewing, and accepting applications for the Youth Voice Awards. Now as a Foundation intern, I get to see another important side of grantmaking: going on site visits to see our grantees programming firsthand, starting with El Puente in Bushwick.

Today we are proud to announce $100,000 in grants to five nonprofits that are expanding or advocating for inclusive public spaces in Crown Heights. The grants were directed by residents of Crown Heights through our Neighborhood Strength model.

Casey Perez, a graduating senior at Benjamin Banneker Academy in Clinton Hill, is the winner of the 2017 Joseph E. Mohbat Prize for Writing in Memory of Verdery Knights. Casey's essay, reprinted here, earned him the award and a $1500 check, which will be presented to him at the 2017 Benjamin Banneker graduation on June 28th.

Today, we are proud to announce new grants through our Immigrant Rights Fund, a special initiative created by our donors in the weeks after the 2016 presidential election to build a boroughwide response to unjust government policy changes threatening Brooklyn’s immigrants and their families.

On Friday, June 2nd, our Brooklyn Youth Fellows honored the eight winning projects submitted by young people in partnership with local nonprofits, at an event filled with performances, a professional photo-booth, delicious local food, and lots of fun.

In February, we announced that our Immigrant Rights Fund would support ongoing civil resistance and organizing efforts—including community-building, bystander training, public education, action planning, and event logistics—through a new Action Fund with grants up to $2,500.

The New York Civil Liberties Union has published a stunning analysis of new data made public through the Student Safety Act, which requires the New York City Police Department to issue quarterly reports on arrests, summonses, and other police-involved incidents in New York City public schools.

Foundation President and CEO Cecilia Clarke joined VP of Programs Kaberi Banerjee Murthy and Senior Program Officer Prachi Patankar to discuss our major milestones, including the Immigrant Rights Fund and criminal justice advocacy victories.

When we launched our Immigrant Rights Fund, we committed to easing the burden on nonprofits seeking support by focusing on responsive conversations rather than a lengthy application process. Our Senior Program Officer Prachi Patankar shares 6 key takeaways from these conversations so far.

Earlier this month, a few of our staff members and donors had the pleasure of joining our Invest in Youth grantee Footsteps for a special look at artist Sara Erenthal’s solo show Moving On at FiveMyles Gallery in Crown Heights.

Today, together with criminal justice advocates across New York State, we are celebrating a landmark reform victory: the State Legislature has passed legislation to raise the age of criminal responsibility to 18-years-old.

On Sunday, March 5th, our Brooklyn Youth Fellows led their first-ever conference, designed for youth, by youth. The Youth Resistance Conference — aka #YouthResist2017 — was held in partnership with youth leaders at the YWCA Brooklyn.

Today, with the support of 19 other private, public and community foundations, we are sending a letter to New York elected officials urging them to Raise the Age of criminal responsibility in our state.

First, thank you. In 2016 you gave over $3.2 million to support the work of vital nonprofits and it has made a big difference. I'd like to take a moment to reflect on all that we have accomplished together.